Question About Completing a Run 1 1

[Math Teacher]

I just want to hear other people's opinion on this.

Let's say you are trying to complete a mini-run, such as Fantastic Four #57 - #60 (Doom steals the Surfer's power). Let's say you have issues #57, #58, and #60 in CGC 8.0. If you were given an opportunity to buy issue #59 in CGC 9.0 (same PQ) for a decent price, would you purchase it? Or would you just wait until you can purchase issue #59 in CGC 8.0?

Now let's say you're trying to complete a mini-run of Brave and the Bold #45 - #49 (Infantino's Strange Sports Stories). These books are not offered all that often in a CGC holder, and probably even less in CGC 8.0 or above. So again, let's say I have four of the five issues in CGC 8.0, and I could buy the missing issue in CGC 9.0 for a decent price. Would the fact that these books are not offered that often affect your decision?

I'll be the first to admit that I suffer from medium OCD. I just want to determine if I'm carrying it too far by waiting for a very specific book.

Thanks for your input.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Joe Ankenbauer

[newshane]

44 minutes ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

I just want to hear other people's opinion on this.

Let's say you are trying to complete a mini-run, such as Fantastic Four #57 - #60 (Doom steals the Surfer's power). Let's say you have issues #57, #58, and #60 in CGC 8.0. If you were given an opportunity to buy issue #59 in CGC 9.0 (same PG) for a decent price, would you purchase it? Or would you just wait until you can purchase issue #59 in CGC 8.0?

Why not buy the higher grade? If it's important for you to have matching grades and PQ, then wait and buy an 8.0. 

These aren't rare books. Why the hurry? 

[newshane]

45 minutes ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

 

Now let's say you're trying to complete a mini-run of Brave and the Bold #45 - #49 (Infantino's Strange Sports Stories). These books are not offered all that often in a CGC holder, and probably even less in CGC 8.0 or above. So again, let's say I have four of the five issues in CGC 8.0, and I could buy the missing issue in CGC 9.0 for a decent price. Would the fact that these books are not offered that often affect your decision?

 

Absolutely. Collecting rarer Golden Age has taught me that sometimes you better jump on it! The opportunity may not come around for years or even decades. 

[SuperBird]

I would buy the higher grade, crack it out, bend a corner, and resubmit for the 8.0. 

[Myowncollector]

2 hours ago, SuperBird said:

I would buy the higher grade, crack it out, bend a corner, and resubmit for the 8.0. 

Excellent idea. Or sell all the 8.0s and upgrade to 9.0s to match. 

I'd say your OCD is above medium. One book is a lil nicer oh well. You should of went after all 9.6 or 9.8 if it's that important. Not like 8.0 is the max until book jumps up insanely in value. Sure you will find 8.5 9.0 cheaper than 8.0s. 

I got runs with purple, green, cbcs, pgx. Raw. Roll the dice, you can do it.

[Math Teacher]

2 hours ago, SuperBird said:

I would buy the higher grade, crack it out, bend a corner, and resubmit for the 8.0. 

Seriously, that thought had crossed my mind. I don't think I can tell exactly how much damage would need to be inflicted to change a 9.0 to an 8.0.

[Math Teacher]

24 minutes ago, Myowncollector said:

You should of went after all 9.6 or 9.8 if it's that important. Not like 8.0 is the max until book jumps up insanely in value.

When I first started purchasing these books, 8.0 was at the maximum of my price range. I'm quite happy to have a book graded VF in my collection. I just don't understand the willingness to buy a VERY high-grade book at an extravagant price. Would I like to have a collection of Spider-Man #1 - #100 in CGC 9.4 or above? Sure, but I am more likely to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 than to achieve that goal. And I am not trying to "flip" these books; each book will be part of my personal collection for the foreseeable future.

[Math Teacher]

I joined this board in 2018. Even before that, I had been looking for Black Knight (Atlas) books, because I really enjoyed those issues when I read them in Masterworks form. I currently have issues #1 (CGC 4.5), #2 (CGC 5.5), and #4 (CGC 6.0). I am discussing the purchase of a Black Knight #3 with an Instagram seller. I check Ebay regularly, and it's difficult to find these books at all, and even more difficult to find them at a reasonable price. Check GPA - Black Knight books just don't come up for sale very often. The same is true about the books that I am discussing (even though I have not named them).

So I have relented about my OCD, and I have decided that I will be happy with any Black Knight issues, as long as they are CGC 4.0 or above. Perhaps I should follow that decision in this case also.

Thanks for everyone's input!

[Myowncollector]

26 minutes ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

When I first started purchasing these books, 8.0 was at the maximum of my price range. I'm quite happy to have a book graded VF in my collection. I just don't understand the willingness to buy a VERY high-grade book at an extravagant price. Would I like to have a collection of Spider-Man #1 - #100 in CGC 9.4 or above? Sure, but I am more likely to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 than to achieve that goal. And I am not trying to "flip" these books; each book will be part of my personal collection for the foreseeable future.

Dunno about then but now the difference between a 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.2 isnt much. A 9.2 could easily sell for fmv of a 8.0 or less, might as well upgrade and sell the lesser grades. We aren't talking about asm 1 to 100 here. I wouldn't pass up a good deal just because it isnt a 8.0

[vheflin]

I would absolutely buy the 9.0 especially if it's priced nice.

View the 9.0 as really an 8.0 but with a bonus.  Or the prize you get for completing the mini-run is an extra 2 grade bumps on the last issue.

Is this because your OCD wants them all the same grade or because you're worried that you might start chasing ever higher grades?

[Math Teacher]

1 hour ago, vheflin said:

I would absolutely buy the 9.0 especially if it's priced nice.

View the 9.0 as really an 8.0 but with a bonus.  Or the prize you get for completing the mini-run is an extra 2 grade bumps on the last issue.

Is this because your OCD wants them all the same grade or because you're worried that you might start chasing ever higher grades?

It's because I want them all in the same grade.

I remember earlier this year or late last year, there was a board member that finally completed an Amazing Spider-Man run (#1 - #10, #1 - #20, I can't remember) where all issues were CGC 5.0 with white pages. I just remember thinking, "Man, that is so cool." Prior to that post, I would have never thought of making sure all the issues were the same grade and same page quality.

Come to think of it, I am working on an X-Men run (#1 - #16), and I wanted all issues to be CGC 6.0 or above. With the exception of #1 (CGC 3.0), all my issues meet that criteria. In that run, I do have a variety of grades. I have four 6.0s, six 6.5s, and three 7.0s; I am missing #10, #15, and #16. When I started, the thought of having all issues in the same grade and same page quality never even crossed my mind, other than they had to be Fine or better.

I wonder why I became so obsessive about these four issues. Eh, I must have had a stroke in the recent past.

Again, thanks to everyone for your replies. I'm going to go ahead and buy the 9.0.

[1950's war comics]

5 hours ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

It's because I want them all in the same grade.

I remember earlier this year or late last year, there was a board member that finally completed an Amazing Spider-Man run (#1 - #10, #1 - #20, I can't remember) where all issues were CGC 5.0 with white pages. I just remember thinking, "Man, that is so cool." Prior to that post, I would have never thought of making sure all the issues were the same grade and same page quality.

Come to think of it, I am working on an X-Men run (#1 - #16), and I wanted all issues to be CGC 6.0 or above. With the exception of #1 (CGC 3.0), all my issues meet that criteria. In that run, I do have a variety of grades. I have four 6.0s, six 6.5s, and three 7.0s; I am missing #10, #15, and #16. When I started, the thought of having all issues in the same grade and same page quality never even crossed my mind, other than they had to be Fine or better.

I wonder why I became so obsessive about these four issues. Eh, I must have had a stroke in the recent past.

Again, thanks to everyone for your replies. I'm going to go ahead and buy the 9.0.

fill the holes in your runs with cheaper, low grade copies, at least that way in your mind the run is complete, then you can be patient until the exact CGC graded upgrade surfaces at some point in the future

[newshane]

11 hours ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

Would I like to have a collection of Spider-Man #1 - #100 in CGC 9.4 or above? Sure, but I am more likely to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 than to achieve that goal. And I am not trying to "flip" these books; each book will be part of my personal collection for the foreseeable future.

Going down the complete run road isn’t good for your mental health. At least it wasn’t good for mine.

I once owned Spawn 1-275 with all variants in graded 9.8 or above. Over 400 slabs. I was only missing one issue. Took me years of obsessive hunting. Lots of collectors are probably unaware of what a truly brutal goal that was. 
 

The hunt was mostly thrilling, but I was literally drowning in slabs. My collection owned me instead of the other way around.

I guess my point is to focus on what makes you happy instead of a particular end goal. This isn’t weight loss.

If you’re even thinking of damaging a classic book to achieve a particular grade, you may already be too far gone.

And please remember that all 8.0s are not created equally. Buy the book, not the silly number on the label.

 

[comicginger1789]

I guess your OCD is stronger than mine. I would be upset if I had like VF copies and then one was GD. That doesn't look right. But again, I am a raw fellow so I can see a 9.0 standing out amongst 8.0's

Honestly though, I would just be happy to have a high grade run. Like, if I had a nice run of ASM #130-150 in 8.0 CGC graded condition and the last issue to complete the run was different, I honestly would not care. 

[Deadpoolica]

17 hours ago, SuperBird said:

I would buy the higher grade, crack it out, bend a corner, and resubmit for the 8.0. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

18 hours ago, Joe Ankenbauer said:

I just want to hear other people's opinion on this.

Let's say you are trying to complete a mini-run, such as Fantastic Four #57 - #60 (Doom steals the Surfer's power). Let's say you have issues #57, #58, and #60 in CGC 8.0. If you were given an opportunity to buy issue #59 in CGC 9.0 (same PQ) for a decent price, would you purchase it? Or would you just wait until you can purchase issue #59 in CGC 8.0?

Now let's say you're trying to complete a mini-run of Brave and the Bold #45 - #49 (Infantino's Strange Sports Stories). These books are not offered all that often in a CGC holder, and probably even less in CGC 8.0 or above. So again, let's say I have four of the five issues in CGC 8.0, and I could buy the missing issue in CGC 9.0 for a decent price. Would the fact that these books are not offered that often affect your decision?

I'll be the first to admit that I suffer from medium OCD. I just want to determine if I'm carrying it too far by waiting for a very specific book.

Thanks for your input.

I have OCD, so I would wait.

2nd situation: Again, I would wait, but that's because my OCD would commit mental suicide (which is why I don't buy/have too many CGC'd comics anyways).

[theCapraAegagrus]

Just now, Stooge McSchmuck said:

I think if you guys actually had OCD you wouldn't have started collecting comics in the first place 

Elaborate.

[theCapraAegagrus]

1 minute ago, Stooge McSchmuck said:

Will it drive you nuts if I don't?

Nope. I'll just perceive you as self-confused (if you don't).

[Math Teacher]

Well, I just went ahead and purchased BatB #62 CGC 9.0 from @mycomicshop. Nice looking book with off-white to white pages. It seems that a lot of the early SA DCs seems to have cream to off-white pages. I'm not guaranteeing that - it's just based on anecdotal evidence.